Embracing Self-Care: Peace in the Home

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Peace in the home.

Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

What provides peace in the home will be different for every one, but I venture to say there are a few methods that are the same for most of us.

For me, I've got three main areas that I'm working on to being more peace to my home. Some of these have to do with knowing myself, and what works for me.

This is the week four in the 5-week series on self-care. Next week we will end by discussing ways to get some rest and relaxation.

Without further ado, here are the three ways I'm working on creating more peace in my home:

1. Speak Up

Sometimes the best way to get peace in the home s to talk about what you actually need.

A few years ago I was really struggling with my responsibilities and felt extremely overwhelmed. There was one particular area that I wanted help with and even though I felt that I “should” be able to do it myself, I asked my husband if he would take over the job.

It was teaching the kids math lessons.

Actually, I asked him to do it a few times a week, not every day, but he decided to take on the role of math teacher and it has been a blessing to all of us.

My kids like having their dad as the math teacher and my husband gets the benefit of spending more time with them and also has a better understanding of what homeschooling looks like from day to day.

I have reduced stress and more time for other things, like helping my 4 year old, preparing meals, or taking a shower!

If there is an area in your life where you need help, speak up. Tell someone. Even if you don't know how to resolve it, start the conversation.

2. Reduce clutter – physical and visual

My house is fairly small. This is what happens when I open the fridge and the dishwasher at the same time:

BUT, but, but! Let's be honest, at least I have a dishwasher and refrigerator!

Living in a smaller home means that things can get out of control very quickly. I've made efforts to reduce clutter over the years, but am upping the ante again. I need things to be easy to put away in order to actually get put away.

I've discovered that I am pretty sensitive to visual clutter, too. I think a lot of us are.

Too much stuff on the walls and counter makes me feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. As if I am behind and I can't catch up.

I spend a lot of time at home, so it's important to make my environment as peaceful and harmonious as possible.

You know, an empty shelf actually helps make that happen?

A closet that's not crammed full but actually has space for more items, make me breathe easier. (I'm not saying my closet has space for more items, just that when it does, I breathe easier. It's a work in progress here).

I'm not a neat-freak by any stretch of the imagination, but having more room and space to breathe allows me to function at a higher level. It benefits my physical and mental health.

In Happier at Home, Gretchen Rubin says, “Every drawer should be easy to open.” That is one of my goals. Just thinking about it makes me happy.

3. Know what you're doing

Uncertainty can undermine peace.

The days I have no idea what I'm cooking for dinner are more stressful that the days I have planned.

Realizing I have an appointment, just minutes before I should be there = stress!

So, even though it's not necessary to plan out every minute of every day, having some type of routine in place is helpful. (Beth is onto something with her flexible schedule).

Planning saves time and money.

Sitting down to map out the week and at least write up a meal plan goes a long way in creating more peaceful days.

I'm working on a whole system for my home, which I'll share in another post soon.